Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, South Orange, NJ

A new campaign to feed the hungry has begun at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. It’s called Bring One, and the goal is for members to bring a canned good or other non-perishable food item each time they go to Temple. For Hebrew school students, who meet on Tuesdays and Sundays, that’s two items a week. Temple President Hope Pomerantz said the need is so great at local food pantries, temple organizers wanted to extend the High Holy Day food drive to a year-long drive. When explaining the campaign to Hebrew school students, Pomerantz told them “alone it’s hard to feel you’ve made a difference, but if everyone brings something every time, it will add up and you can see how together we can make a big difference.” http://southorange.patch.com/articles/lighting-the-night

Our next distribution day at the Food Pantry is December 15. If demand continues at the rate we saw in November, we will need to ensure that on that date (and each and every month) we have 80 cans of tuna, 80 jars each of peanut butter and jelly, 80 soups, 80 cans of vegetables, 80 cans each of beans, green vegetables, and starchy vegetables, 80 boxes of pasta, 80 jars of pasta sauce, 80 boxes of cereal, 80 packages of dried or boxed milk, 80 bags of cookies, 80 boxes of mac and cheese and 80 cans of fruit. That’s 1200 cans and boxes – about 80 grocery bags of food every month!! So Bring One – and even more if you can.

The Food Pantry is looking for donations of new and gently used books and toys (clean, with all pieces present) for distribution on December 22. Clients use these items as gifts for their own families or to be able to give to friends and relatives. This is a great Chanukah Tikkun Olam idea – have your children donate something in exchange for something they receive this season, or just let them clean their toy chests to help others! Contact Janet Schwamm at 973-379-2533.